Ten things you may not have known about: Natalie Duffield

Natalie Duffield is the CEO of InTechnologyWiFi, the Harrogate-based business providing wifi solutions across the country. While women in technology may be underrepresented, Natalie Duffield certainly broke the mould. Here are 10 things you might not have known about Natalie:

1 - She lost her mother, who was her role model, at the age of just 13. “All of a sudden mortality is brought to the forefront,” she says. This instilled in her a desire to be independent.

2 - Her first job was at Debenham in Leeds but she was keen to land an office role.

3 - Natalie Duffield sold newspaper advertising for the Champion Shopper for a couple of years. An experience she describes as “great” as telesales gave her a “fantastic” grounding in her career.

4 - InTechnologyWiFi is owned by serial entrepreneur Peter Wilkinson. Ms Duffield joined Mr Wilkinson’s business empire when she took a sales role at his company called Storm.

5 - When she first joined Storm, Ms Duffield admits to struggling with the technical aspects of the business. However, she countered this by taking home books, coming in early and leaving late. The now CEO of InTechnologyWiFi also enlisted the help of one of the technical people at the firm.

Natalie Duffield, chief exec of IntechnologyWIFI at their Harrogate office.

6 - Ms Duffield has a teenage daughter, who just like her mother wants to be independent.

7 - Natalie Duffield’s favourite song is True Faith by New Order.

8 - Her mum and dad met while they were working at Barclays Bank in Leeds. Her mother was her dad’s boss at the bank but took a backseat to raise her children.

9 - Natalie Duffield says she was quite shy at the beginning of her career and still is a little bit to this day.

Natalie Duffield, chief exec of IntechnologyWIFI at their Harrogate office.

10 - Before her career in the tech industry, she was chosen out of 350 candidates to work on reception for the hairdressing business Vidal Sassoon in Leeds.